This is a colour postcard of the Exhibition Building, showing a view through the garden of the south west corner of the building post 1902. The postcard, which is unused, was printed as part of the Valentine's Series by Valentine & Sons, Dundee, Scotland.

The Exhibition Building was built for the 1880 Melbourne International Exhibition, which opened to visitors on 1 October 1880. On 9 May 1901, it hosted the opening of the First Commonwealth Parliament of Australia. By the early 20th century, picture postcards of the Exhibition Building were a popular Melbourne souvenir.

The division of the reverse of the postcard, allowing a message to be written on one half and the address on the other, was not permitted in Britain until 1902 and Australia until 1905.

Description:

A colour tinted view of the Exhibition Building from the south west corner. Extensive garden and shrubs in the foreground with orange blossom or foliage. The Exhibition Building and dome are in the background. The domes are a striking orange-brown colour. On the reverse of the card there is space to write a message, an address and to place a stamp. The card is unused.

More information

Royal Exhibition Building Collection, Public Life & Institutions Collection

Primary Classification:

ROYAL EXHIBITION BUILDING

Secondary Classification:

Revenue

Tertiary Classification:

souvenir postcards

Inscriptions:

Obverse, text: Exhibition Buildings, MelbourneReverse, text: POST CARD; This space may be used for Correspondence; The Address only to be written/ here; Printed/ in/ Great/ Britain; VALENTINE'S SERIES.

Publisher:

Valentine & Sons Ltd., Dundee, Scotland, Great Britain, post 1902

The division of the reverse of the postcard, allowing a message to be written on one half and the address on the other, was not permitted in Britain until 1902 and Australia until 1905.